PANJIM: Thousands of tourists make a beeline to Goa to enjoy the Christmas festivities and the unique Goan culture and the ambience as well as seek some peace to usher in the New Year. But what impressions will they get when they come to Panjim, the capital, and see the city ‘carpet bombed’ by the Smart City Mission, which is doing ill planned sewerage work? Herald TV asked people, ‘Does the haphazard and unplanned digging of city roads at the peak of the tourist season paint a poor picture of Goa?
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“This is a miserable image of Goa which is supposed to be a tourist destination. If I’m not mistaken, last Christmas it was the same thing. All the roads were dug. Why only tourists, are not our Goans worthy and deserve good infrastructure after paying all the taxes? Why shouldn’t we have proper roads? The question is how many people are meeting with accidents and getting their legs fractured? Is it not our right to have good and clean roads, motorable roads, walkable footpaths? Where are we heading?”
Trajano D’Mello Political Commentator
Tourists come for a few days, they enjoy and take memories back. They think development in Goa is taking place at a fast pace. But they don’t understand that actually destruction is taking place. In Goa things which are newly done up are being dug up again, and tourists think this is development. The tourists are not the sufferers, we are the sufferers. Local people and local business community are the sufferers. Our tax payers’ money is going into the drain. They fill their own pockets and there should be accountability.
Mariano Ferrao, Social Activist
Was it necessary to dig up the roads or the side of the roads for cabling? Doesn’t the government know that it is the festive season? And a holiday season, when tourists come to visit Goa? What example are we setting to these tourists? Are they safe in Goa during the festive season? This is how we are losing tourism. I request the government when there is a festive season going on in Goa, like the Exposition, like Christmas, not to dig the roads. And if any tender is given, see that contractors are given grace period so that they complete the work later on.
Ana Gracias, Social Activist
Crores of rupees were spent and all the roads were refurbished. People heaved a sigh of relief that the Smart City work was over. If I’m not mistaken, even the CM made a statement that 90% of the work was over, but as the New Year is approaching they have started digging the major roads in Panjim. If you remember at New Year 2023, a councillors son drove his bike into an unmarked pit and he unfortunately died, in Mala. Such a tragedy should not befall anyone. There should be coordination between the department. People are completely fed up with the on-going work.
Mahesh Mhambrey, Social Activist
